Queensland Premier Offers Protestors 50 Reasons To Support CHOGM

This is the text of a media statement released by the Premier of Queensland, Peter Beattie:

Premier Peter Beattie is asking all anti-CHOGM protestors to examine 50 reasons why CHOGM should be supported for the work it does with developing nations and for democracy.

"I ask them to consider the 50 points which demonstrate how CHOGM works effectively for the people of poor countries and to advance democracy," said Mr Beattie.

"I believe some people may not realise that CHOGM overwhelmingly comprises developing nations which gain enormous help from this conference.

"If they still decide to protest after reading these 50 positive points, that's fine. But I believe it is important that people should make informed decisions.

"And I would be interested to know how many of the 50 reasons don't impress protestors.

"The 50 reasons include:

• All countries in the Commonwealth of Nations are equal in terms of their participation at the CHOGM - but funding from each nation depends on income and population;

• The Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation (CFTC) had a budget of US$29.3 million last year to promote economic and social development where it is most needed by providing technical assistance and support;

• More than 60 per cent of the CFTC's technical assistance is focused on the 32 Commonwealth countries classified as small states;

• Since 1997 Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK have funded a special Trade and Investment Access Facility to help developing countries adjust to globalisation and take advantage of its opportunities;

• The UK has given more than AUS$60 million dollars for assistance for HIV/AIDS-related projects, including development of low-cost vaccine, in Southern Africa;

• The Commonwealth's gender equality policy is aiming for a target of at least 30 per cent women in decision-making positions in the political, public and private sectors of member countries by 2005;

Mr Beattie said: "I urge all Queenslanders to consider these 50 points because they do show what CHOGM is and how it goes about its work in helping developing nations."

50 REASONS WHY QUEENSLANDERS SHOULD SUPPORT CHOGM RATHER THAN PROTEST AGAINST IT

1. The Commonwealth is dedicated to:
   • the promotion of democracy,
   • good governance and human rights,
   • sustainable social and economic development,
   • alleviation of poverty,
   • equality for women,
   • universal access to education,
   • action against drug abuse and communicable diseases
   • and help for problems specific to small states.

2. 46 of the 54 nations that comprise the Commonwealth are developing countries but have an equal voice at CHOGM with countries such as Britain and Australia. It means that countries such as the UK and Australia have no more power over members than anyone else.

3. All countries in the Commonwealth of Nations are equal in terms of their participation at the CHOGM - but funding from each nation depends on income and population.

4. Each member, from the tiniest (Nauru - pop 11,000) to the biggest (India - pop 962,378,000), has an equal say in deciding what should be talked about at CHOGM. It means developing nations can talk about the topics that are important to them.

5. All countries have an equal say in framing the decisions made at CHOGMS. It means that developing nations have a loud voice in deciding what CHOGM should do to help them.

6. All countries have an equal say in framing the communiques that flow from CHOGMS. It means that developing nations are given a world platform.

7. A CHOGM is arguably the only international forum where such a diverse group of countries with differing economic capacities and resources come together as equals to find common positions through consensus.

8. CHOGM offers the 46 developing nations their best chance to gain the help and decisions their people need.

9. More than a third of the CHOGM nations - 19 - are in Africa. These range from Botswana and Namibia with their large areas of sparsely populated desert to Nigeria with a population of more than 115million. Each of them has the same rights at CHOGM as South Africa.

10. The same proportion come from the Asia/Pacific region - nations such as the Maldives and Vanuatu. Each of them has the same rights at CHOGM as Australia and New Zealand.

11. 13 CHOGM members are from the Americas - the majority from the West Indies. Each of them has the same rights at CHOGM as Canada.

12. From Europe, Cyprus with its population of 747,000 stands on an equal footing with the UK.

13. The Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation (CFTC) had a budget of US $29.3million last year to promote economic and social development where it is most needed by providing technical assistance and support.

14. More than 60 per cent of the CFTC's technical assistance is focused on the 32 Commonwealth countries classified as small states.

15. Small states receive about 75 per cent of CFTC direct project funding in export enterprise and agricultural development.

16. THE CFTC helps developing nations in formulating export promotion policies, improving products and upgrading technical skills.

17. The CFTC advises developing nations on ways to develop renewable natural resources such as forestry and fisheries, and on innovative approaches to agricultural and rural development.

18. A major goal of the CFTC's work is to help the rural poor in securing sustainable livelihoods.

19. The CFTC builds the capacity of member governments to manage their own development needs by providing fellowships at educational institutions, by placing experts in teaching and administrative roles at Commonwealth universities, and through training workshops and seminars for key personnel.

20. CFTC help is provided on request from member governments through programs which focus on accelerating economic growth and public sector reform, alleviating poverty, strengthening infrastructure and institutions, providing policy advice and building the skills base of member countries. It does this through the provision of training, expertise and advisory services.

21. With the Commonwealth Science Council, the CFTC works to promote the use of science and technology for sustainable development. As an example, Tonga seafood processors have been trained through the CFTC to enable small-scale businesses to upgrade their products to export quality without the need for expensive equipment.

22. The CFTC also funds Secretariat work to promote Commonwealth fundamental political values, recognising that sustainable development should go hand-in-hand with the development of democracy, and respect for human rights and the rule of law.

23. In 1997-98, under CFTC programs, more than 7,000 participants from 50 developing countries and 10 overseas/associated territories, trained in courses, workshops and seminars.
24. About 300 experts take up long or short-term assignments each year.

25. The Commonwealth Youth Program (CYP), worth US $3.14 million last year, empowers young people to develop as productive and dynamic members of society.

26. The Commonwealth Science Council (CSC) promotes the sharing of scientific knowledge. Its budget in 1998/99 was US $1.25 million.

27. Since 1997 Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK have funded a special Trade and Investment Access Facility to help developing countries adjust to globalisation and take advantage of its opportunities.

28. For instance, it produced investment promotion programs for India's herbal products with projected sales of $1 million in the first year, and for Sri Lanka's electronics industry, which resulted in orders and joint ventures with European investors.

29. The Edinburgh CHOGM (1997) adopted a declaration on promoting shared prosperity.

30. The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) has a three-year plan (2000-03) designed to position the Commonwealth to embrace flexible learning options to address formal educational needs as well as the expanding needs for non-formal education in areas such as literacy, numeracy public health and hygiene, HIV/AIDS, life-long learning and labour market training, as well as the particular plight of children at risk: orphans, refugees and those living in the streets.

31. The CHOGM in Durban in November 1999 designated the devastating social and economic impact of HIV/AIDS -particularly in Africa - as a global emergency and has pledged to lead the fight against the disease within member countries and internationally.

32. The UK announced more than 22 million pounds of assistance for HIV/AIDS-related projects involving development of low-cost vaccine, implementation of an awareness in southern Africa, and training more than 700 volunteers.

33. Australia gave $2.8million in 1999/2000 to HIV/AIDS projects in Africa.

34. A special group formed to ensure action on the basic beliefs of the Commonwealth met in London late last year to report on progress on the Harare Declaration which declares that the members:
    • believe in the liberty of the individual under the law, in equal rights for all citizens regardless of gender, race, colour, creed or political belief, and in the individual's inalienable right to participate by means of free and democratic political processes in framing the society in which he or she lives;

    • oppose all forms of racial oppression, and we are committed to the principles of human dignity and equality;

    • recognise the importance and urgency of economic and social development to satisfy the basic needs and aspirations of the bast majority of the people's of the world, and seek the progressive removal of the wide disparities in living standards amongst our members.

35. The powerful Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group is recommending to CHOGM that Pakistan should remain suspended from membership until it has a return to democratic government.

36. The Action Group condemned developments in Zimbabwe and has called on the Commonwealth Secretary-General to send observers to scrutinise Zimbabwe's presidential election. It called on the Zimbabwe government to ensure there is an immediate halt to violence and intimidation. It decided to hold another meeting immediately before CHOGM in Coolum to report on Zimbabwe's responses, noting that suspension of Zimbabwe from CHOGM was among the range of measures that could be taken.

37. Commonwealth finance ministers were instrumental in launching the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative and are maintaining pressure on the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other key players to get the debt initiative strengthened. The initiative is a facility designed to reduce the debt burden of the most heavily indebted poor countries to sustainable levels while at the same time encouraging sound economic policies.

38. The Commonwealth helped arrange a two-day seminar last year with the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and some of the poorest countries in the world to tackle the often onerous conditions attached to loans for the developing world.

39. The last CHOGM paved the way for reconstruction and peace building to take place in Sierra Leone. The Commonwealth Secretariat is overseeing initiatives including development of low-cost building materials for affordable housing and helping to establish a National Electoral Commission.

40. As a result of the last CHOGM, AusAID is providing technical assistance to the South African government to help improve delivery of health, housing, water supply, public education and telecommunications.

41. CHOGM has reaffirmed support for the Iwokrama International Rainforest Programme which set aside 360,000 hectares of pristine tropical rainforest for a Commonwealth project on sustainable utilisation and conservation of species. Half of the forest is protected as a wilderness reserve while the balance is used for environmentally-sustainable social and economic development.

42. The Commonwealth has a five year agenda for gender equality which has a target of at least 30 per cent women in decision-making positions in the political, public and private sectors by 2005.

43. The policy priority areas for the Commonwealth's agenda for gender equality (2000-2005) involve promoting and protecting women's human rights, promoting women's awareness of their human rights, and also involving men in awareness raising about the human rights of women. It includes:
    • the elimination of violence against women, especially through the ratification and implementation of human rights conventions.

    • Introducing and promoting equal opportunities legislation.

44. The Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation (CFTC) supports the integration of gender awareness into national budgets, and the promotion of women's human rights and participation in politics, peace efforts and conflict prevention.

45. Where possible the CFTC selects women experts, trainers and consultants to deliver technical assistance. About 40 per cent of participants in CFTC training programs and workshops on export, enterprise and agricultural development are women.

46. As part of the action plan on gender equality the CFTC assigned experts to Makerere University in Uganda to institutionalise gender teaching and train outreach workers to incorporate gender awareness into extension services.

47. More than 50 participants from Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, The Maldives and Sri Lanka attended a workshop in Dhaka, Bangladesh, last year on incorporating gender equality into policies and programs.

48. In Malaysia, the literacy rate for women has increased from 64 per cent in 1980 to 96 per cent in 1996.

49. CHOGM established the Commonwealth Service Abroad Program of volunteers to meet development needs of member governments by supplying experts seeking a professional challenge in another country. In the six months after March last year these expert volunteers were engaged in more than 50 projects in areas such as poverty reduction and enterprise development.

50. Commonwealth Health Ministers are pressing for accelerated debt cancellation in order to channel the dividends into health, education and poverty reduction.

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